Archive for March 24, 2010

With March 20th marking the first day of spring, ads nagging us to get into shape for bathing suit season can’t be far away. For me personally, that concept no longer computes. Glute-lifting lunges aside, unless I hear about a dirt-cheap, non-invasive route to a thigh and derriere lift, this body isn’t likely to experience public bathing suit exposure again. Ever. But there is the thought of Capri pants and skinny jeans to be considered, so maybe it is a good time to talk about leaning up the cuisine a bit.

Helpful hint number one: no matter how nutritious our year-round food choices, northerners’ portion sizes tend to expand in inverse proportion to winter’s shortened days. If we reverse that trend and pay attention to a few basic slimming guidelines, we’ll have it made in the … sun. (Don’t forget to use a smaller plate when you are cutting portion sizes.)

Hint number two: a good night’s sleep is a vastly under-sung element in weight control. Just think about how crummy the “spring forward” daylight savings changeover makes you feel. I walk around crabby for three or four days until my sleep patterns adjust, and then I still feel tired for another week or so after that. It all makes sense when you consider the powerful effects of sleep-related hormones: people who sleep less generate more ghrelin, which signals an empty stomach, and less leptin, generating a false message that fat stores are insufficient. No wonder I’m cranky. I eat, but still feel hungry, and my sleep-deprived muscles – affected by higher cortisol levels and less efficient glucose metabolism – make working out feel like treading quick sand. Nix these negatives by getting at least 7-1/2 hours of sleep every night.

And number three: fill up on soup. It’s a great antidote to hunger, whatever its cause, and when you make your own, you can load it with low-fat broth and veggies, lean meat, and beans for fiber and satiety. The high liquid content leaves you full to capacity, with no guilt attached – as sure-fire a formula for satisfying a grouchy brood as ever there was. Two of my recent favorites are a variation on the same theme: Slow-Cooked Pulled Chicken, Black Bean, and Vegetable Soup or Quick Turkey Cannellini Soup. Add a slab of Dense Whole Grain Bread with a dab of Homemade Almond Butter and a small Hawaiian Sundae for a feast accompli. Even that enticing commercial with the office full of Kit-Kat munchers won’t have any power over you after this comforting repast. (more…)

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Recipe. According to Encarta, "a list of ingredients and instructions for making something." The thesaurus offers the alternate terms, "formula, guidelines, directions, steps, technique."

And what is the "something" we are aiming for here? Simply a life of robust good health in every important area - spiritual, physical, cognitive, and emotional.

To that end we offer inspirational real-life stories about PEOPLE OF FAITH AND COURAGE; menus and cooking directions meant to fuel your creative inclinations and your healthy body in the form of MUSINGS OF A MIDWESTERN FOODIE; and ADVICE FOR LIFEfrom the perspective of those who have lived it to maturity. (Click on the green category tabs at the top of this page to learn more about each section.)

Have a taste and see what you think. If you like what we are serving up, please tell your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors to stop by for a visit, too.

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